1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved ribbon cable connector that provides for electrical connection of a ribbon cable to an electrical device and also provides for splicing two different ribbon cables together.
2. Background of the Invention
It is known that when transmitting power or data signals along different conductors in a ribbon cable, that insulator displacement pins must punch through the insulator material on the ribbon cable and establish electrical contact with the appropriate conductor therein. In order to properly obtain such electrical contact, alignment of the insulator displacement pins with the ribbon cable must be precise. These insulator displacement pins then electrically connect to receptacle sites, into which fits an electrical plug or pin from an electrical device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,536 details one known receptacle for a premise wiring system that provides for the alignment of insulator displacement pins with the appropriate conductors of a ribbon cable. While performing its intended function, the receptacle disclosed in this patent requires a large number of parts to install. It also requires that many insulator displacement pins punch through the insulating material on the ribbon cable at the same time when electrical contact is established between the insulator displacement pins and the electrical conductors of the ribbon cable. Also, no provision for splicing ribbon cables is suggested.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,997,388 describes another system for aligning insulator displacement pins with electrical conductors of a ribbon cable. This patent does provide for splicing together two ribbon cables as well as provides receptacle sites for the attachment of another electrical device. However, in the disclosed electrical tap connector, relatively long electrically conductive bus bars are required to establish the splice between different ribbon cables. Furthermore, a connection from each of these bus bars to an appropriate receptacle site is necessary. While this provides the intended functions, it is quite expensive, as a separate bus bar associated with each different ribbon cable conductor is required in every instance.